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June 16, 1999
IJorUauò (Observer
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E D U C A T I O N
Starting A Charter School
its curriculum, the expected results and
B y R ic h a r d M e in h a r d
verified m ethods o f measuring the
C ontributing W riter from C enter for
E ducational C hance
growth o f knowledge in the students,
the governance structure, the projected
nyone can operate a charter
enrollment and grades to be served, the
school but the school m ust
target population o f students, any dis
be form ed as a new n o n
tinctive learning or teaching techniques
profit organization except for alter
to be used, the admission policies and
n ative schools already providing
student application procedures, addi
co n tracted services to districts. D is
tional rules and laws the school will
trict schools are not legal entities,
accept, the budget and financial plan
o n ly districts are. If teachers w anted
along with evidence o f financial abil
4o convert their d istrict school to
ity, the standards for student behavior
in d e p en d e n t ch a rter sta tu s, they
and discipline, the school day and year,
w ould have to form a non-profit
the staff qualifications, the date o f op
organization w ith its ow n governing
erations, special education and disci
b o ard that w ould then be able to
pline, the school day and year, the staff
en ter into a legally binding charter
qualifications, the date o f operations,
contract w ith the school board and
special education and related services,
m anage the financial affairs o f the
community groups involved, the char
school. A private school that pro
ter term, performance bonding and
vides alternative ed ucation under a
insurance, placement o f teachers and
contract to a district can use its ex
student if the school closes, fiscal audit
isting organization but i f a private
procedures, and employee relations.
school w ants to be chartered to be
T hese w ritten answ ers form the
com e a public school, it m ust d is
basis for the charter contract that
b and and reform as a new non-profit
legally bind s the school to com pli
ch arter school organization. T his
ance and perform ance standards. No
re q u ire m e n t p re v e n ts a p riv a te
perform ance, no charter. But in re
school from creating an exclusive
turn for the acco u n tab ility contract,
school for its ow n kids because if
the bill allow s m ost education regu
the school is over enrolled w hen it
lations and statutes to be rem oved.
restarts, it w ill have to adm it stu
T he ch arter school m ust still co m
dents on the basis o f a lottery.
p ly w ith certain statutes and rules
C harter starters m ust seek the ap
governing the state CIM and CA M
proval o f the locally elected school
standards, state testing, health and
“board in order to operate a charter
safety, n on-d iscrim in atio n and p ro
¿school and receive district funding.
hibition o f religion, open m eetings,
^The idea is that boards will w ant to
federal law s, an d others.
charter a school rather than lose the
The charter bill makes important
charter school to the state. The local
changes in the way public education is
h o ard has three m onths to hold a
delivered. In the charter relationship,
public hearing and act on the charter
the charter bill changes the school
proposal. In m aking its decision, a
boards role from that o f being the
“board must look at the capability o f
owner/operator o f schools to that o f
the charter starters to provide a com
broker/oversight agency for learning.
prehensive instructional program in
Boards no longer need to micromanage
cluding students w ho are low achiev
schools since site m anagem ent o f
ing, how com plete the charter appli
school takes over control o f money,
cation is, w hether there will be a “di
budgets, personnel, operations, devel
rectly identifiable, significant and
opment, program adoption, everything.
adverse impact on the quality o f the
Accountability changes from regula
public education o f students residing
tions and control over the processes o f
in the district,” the arrangem ents for
school operation to contractual ac
special education, and the arrange
countability for results and outcomes.
ments for students and teachers if a
Accountability now carries a conse
public school is converting to charter
quence for failure to perform. With the
status school. The local board often
establishment o f real accountability,
will have political pressure to refuse
deregulation and removal o f bureau
charter applicants but the charter bill
cratic control follow. The handcuffs
helps boards resist pressure to turn
can and m ust come off. And instead o f
down charter applicants by allowing
funding districts, funding is finally “at
charter starters to go to the state board
tached" to students and follows them
if the local board refuses. The state
to the school that serves them. Funding
can suggest m odifications, refuse the
is naturally reallocated on the need —
charter appeal, or charter the school
how m any students a school serves.
itself. The board that approves the
Teachers becom e professionals
charter becom es the charter sponsor
w hose teaching capability and pro
and assumes responsibility for over
sight o f the charter contract.
The charter starters develop a char
ter proposal answering a number o f
questions about the operation and stan
dards for the school. The charter start
ers must describe who is applying the
philosophy and m ission o f the school,
A
School Uniform
Legislature
The H ouse voted 31 to 27 to pass a bill
encouraging the use o f school uniform s, rh e
b ill’s sponsor. Senator John Lim, R-G resham ,
believes that the use o f school uniform s w ill help
com bat violence, im prove academ ic perfor
m ance, and increase self-esteem .
“G ang related clothing fosters violence, cre
ates an atm osphere o f fear, and distracts from
classroom instruction” stated Senator Lim. “W ith
school uniform s, there w ill be no trench coat
m afias' and parents and schools w ill have an
other tool to free up teachers for w hat they do |
best, teaching.”
S en ato r L im sta te d th a t he d o es n o t b e
liev e sc h o o l u n ifo rm s are a “ c u re a ll” for
sc h o o l v io len ce. H o w ev er, he b ro u g h t fo r
w ard the p ro p o se d le g isla tio n . S en ate B ill
7 51, w ith the h o p e th a t it w o u ld assu re p a r
en ts an d sc h o o ls o f th e ir rig h t to set a school
u n ifo rm p o lic y as w ell as en c o u ra g in g the
im p lem e n ta tio n o f th o se p o lic es in individual
sc h o o ls and sc h o o l d istric ts.
T he p ro p o sal. S enate B ill 751, encourages
scho o ls and school d istricts to im plem ent
school uniform p o lic ie s as long as reasonable
n otice is given to parents. T here is also an “op,
o u t" clau se w hich allow s ch ild ren to be e x
em pt from the school uniform po licy if their
p arents subm it a w ritten request.
Senate Bill 751 passed the Senate on M ay 11
by a vote o f 21 to 8. The Senate will now
consider changes m ade by the H ouse before it
m oves to the G overnor’s desk.
fessional reputation are vital to the
success o f the school. S uddenly,
change-oriented teachers have a real
opportunity to bring in innovative
program s. D istrict p rocesses and
governance com m inees cannot block
change. A nd teachers no longer have
to be unionized em ployees but can
ow n and operate their own learning
gram Parents have the pow er o f be
ing consum ers who control funding
by their choices. They find charter
school eager to serve them, and they
can even becom e involved in the
non-profit board o f the school or
program but along with this opportu
nity com es the need to market and
sell their program to families. Public
charter schools have a pow erful in
centive to find the best teachers pos
sible to carry out their unique pro
First
Youth$ave
Graduation
n Ju n e 10 ‘\ ten you n g m en
a n d w o m e n c e le b r a te d
th e ir n in e -m o n th g o al o f
saving m oney to reach their ow n
dream s. T he youths are participants
in Y outhSave, a m atched-savings
orogram ofR E A C H C om m unity D e
velopm ent. T h eir success w as cel
ebrated in a cerem ony at the Federal
C ourthouse w ith U.S. D istrict Court
Judge A ncer H aggerty presiding.
Reach began the program last fall
with the goal o f helping youth leam
money management skills while assist
ing them to raise funds for activities they
could otherwise not afford. W ith cut
backs m school funding for academic,
athletic, artistic and musical programs,
many o f these younger residents find
they cannot participate in activities due
to lack o f funds. YouthSave provides an
opportunity to change that. YouthSave
gives kids ages 10-18 living in REACH-
owned affordable housing a chance to
participate in athletic, artistic or educa
tional activities.
Participants in theprogram attended
money management c lasses, performed
community service work, and opened
savings accounts to help achieve their
goals. Each student's savings account
was matched by REACH through a
grant from the Enterprise Foundation.
W ashington Mutual Bank generously
allowed participants to save theirmoncy
free ofcharge, and provided assistance
with money management classes.
Some o f the tangible benefits o f the
YouthSave Program for the 10 suc
cessful participants include new in
struments, athletic lessons and a new
computer. REACH Community De
velopment, Inc. is a private nonprofit
corporation that develops and man
ages affordable housing in southeast
Portland. The Enterprise Foundation
is a national foundation providing fund
ing and technical assistance to organi
zations working to improve our inner-
city neighborhoods.
i
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cause review for non-com pliance
w ith the charter in difficult cases.
Richard Meinhard, Ph D. is the Presi
dent of the Centerfor Educational Change
He can be contacted by phone at 503/234-
4600 or email at edcenter@teleport.com
Free women’s
healthcare!
1
Includes
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If you’re a woman who lives in Oregon and earns less
than $15,200 a year (not including your parents’
income), you can get free women’s healthcare at
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